Archive for label 56

This morning it was confirmed the shooter in yesterday’s massacre which left six dead at a Wisconsin Sikh temple was a long time white supremacist named Wade Michael Page. Page played in a litany of American Nazi bands before fronting his own outfit, called End Apathy, which also boasts the dubious talents of fellow Confederate Hammerskin Brent Rackley. Noted fascist music label and blog, Label 56, released the End Apathy record. It is also the primary voice behind the fascist webzine Uprise Direct.

When anti-fascists disrupt white nationalist events and concerts they do so to prevent the seeds of hatred from bearing fruit in their communities. In our view, silence is complicity. Aus Rotten said it best in the song from which the title of this post is drawn.

Don’t respect something that deserves no respect; don’t sympathize with something that deserves no sympathy; don’t understand something that has no understanding. Don’t give them their freedom, because they’re not going to give you yours. Fuck nazi sympathy!

Rick 56 and Doug Sacred are so proud of the platform they provided to End Apathy that a 2010 interview with the band was scrubbed from Uprise Direct last night. Luckily, we’re far smarter than they are and preserved it for your review below. It’s remarkable only in its banality, but perhaps that’s the point. Page sounds like any other musician talking about his band. The problem is that he wasn’t any other musician, he was a sociopath who turned his words into deeds and six people are dead because of it.

We extend our condolences to the Sikh community in Wisconsin. Never again.

– Captain of Games and Magadh

Good evening Wade, this interview is long overdue due to my own fault but with all the good stuff going on with your band now I don’t think the timing could be more perfect. I`d like to do this interview to let everyone know about End Apathy from the very beginning up until now. It was at least three years ago when I first got in touch with you after hearing your music on your my space page. Can you give the readers a quick background to End Apathy? More specifically- how long ago did you actually come up with the idea for End Apathy (and why you choose the name End Apathy) and start writing music for it?
End Apathy began in 2005 and the concept was based on trying to figure out what it would take to actually accomplish positive results in society and what is holding us back. A lot of what I realized at the time was that if we could figure out how to end peoples apathetic ways it would be the start towards moving forward. Of course after that it requires discipline, strict discipline to stay the course in our sick society. So, in a sense it was view of psychology and sociology. But I didn’t want to just point the finger at what other people should do, but also I was willing to point out some of my faults on how I was holding myself back. And that is how I wrote the song “Self Destruct”.

As you said End Apathy was entirely your own creation. What was your inspiration for wanting to do the band?
Yes, it was entirely my own idea. The inspiration was based on frustration that we have the potential to accomplish so much more as individuals and a society in whole.

The music you write is very clean sounding and to me has an old school 80`s California skate punk sound to it. Am I totally off base here? Lol. How would you describe your music and can you tell us why you choose to write in this style?
When I first started writing these songs I didn’t have a set plan on the style of sound, it just came together. I think it is mainly based on the mix of my influences and that is 80′s punk, metal, and Oi.

What kind of topics do you write about in your lyrics?
The topics vary from sociological issues, religion, and how the value of human life has been degraded by being submissive to tyranny and hypocrisy that we are subjugated to.

As mentioned you have been writing music for End Apathy over 5 years but until now it has been a solo project. I`m very happy you stayed persistent with it because I personally love the music style you create for the band. Your persistence has paid off as you now have a complete line up. Can you let everyone know what is going on with End Apathy now?
End Apathy as a band has taken a long time to develop, mainly because it was a one man project. But now there is a full line up with Brent on bass and Ozzie on drums – both from Definite Hate and 13 Knots. We have the luxury of living close to each other and are able to have practice often, as a result we are ready to record our first release which is a 7″ split with Definite Hate, then another song that we’re contributing to the UPRISE compilation and our full length CD will come out after that.

I`m really glad that worked out for you. Just in this short time you have already done a live show playing with Definite Hate and you guys are all practicing together. How long do you think it will be before we will see End Apathy on stage live?
End Apathy will be playing at the Independent Artist Uprise fest, but we will also be playing at some local clubs here in North Carolina and possibly playing the midwest this fall.

You guys are also getting ready to do some recording for both bands. Label 56 will be releasing a split 7″ this summer between End Apathy and Definite Hate. We are also planning to do your full length sometime early next year. Is there anything you want to let the readers know about these. What else do you guys have planned?
Even though End Apathy, Definite Hate, and 13 Knots share some of the same members each band has it’s own unique style and sound. Our main focus is the upcoming recording and playing shows.

Aside from your band I`d like the readers to know a bit about you. Not many people may be aware but you used to play with Youngland out in California before moving out to the east coast. How long have you yourself been involved in music and are there any other bands you have been involved with?
I had the opportunity to play bass with Youngland for 2 years back in 2001 – 2003 and during that time I filled in for various bands on guitar and bass including Celtic Warrior, Radikahl, Max Resist, Intimidation One, Aggressive Force, Blue Eyed Devils. I have been playing music since I was 13, off and on over the years.

Are you originally from out in California? How did you wind up moving from one side of the country to the complete other?
I am originally from Colorado and had always been independent, but back in 2000 I set out to get involved and wanted to basically start over. So, I sold everything I owned except for my motorcycle and what I could fit into a backpack and went on cross country trip visiting friends and attending festivals and shows. I went to the Hammerfest 2000 in Georgia, over to North Carolina, up to Ohio, down to West Virginia, and out to California and that’s when I joined Youngland.

What do you see as any differences between the east and west coast whether in the music scene or just lifestyle in general?
In some ways things are generally the same, but each area has it’s own unique style and traditions. Influenced by surroundings and events. The southeast is much more laid back and relaxed with more of a hillbilly attitude and that is reflected in the music. SoCal was more of a fast paced, tense environment and that definitely comes across in their music.

Well I`m glad you have made yourself a home out here and things are coming together for you. I hope to see End Apathy around and making music for years. The closing words are yours.
I want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone at Label 56 for believing in End Apathy and putting out our
Wade – Vocals/Guitars….Brent – Bass…..Ozzie – Drums
Label 56